A Systematic Approach to Understanding Behavior
By shifting focus to understanding the needs of our students, we are creating a more responsive and supportive approach to discipline.
Across Manteca Unified School District, a meaningful shift has taken place, one that has changed not only how discipline is approached, but how we support students every day. While suspension rates have declined, we haven’t narrowed our focus to simply reducing these numbers. Instead, we have redefined what it means to provide “student support,” intentionally shifting from a system that reacts to behavior to one that works to understand it, address it, and ultimately, better support the students we serve.
Over the past three years, MUSD’s suspension rate has declined from 4.9% in 2023 to 3.6% in 2025, reflecting the district’s investment in proactive student supports.
Schools across the district are seeing the impact firsthand, with suspension rates improving at many schools, including Great Valley Elementary (8.3% to 2.4%), Sierra High School (4.7% to 2.4%), and Sequoia Elementary (6.5% to 3%).
At the center of this work is our Integrated Continuum of Supports (ICS), designed to remove social, emotional, and behavioral barriers that limit access to learning. Director of MTSS Student Services Hans Schmitz and his team have aligned efforts such as positive behavior support, social-emotional learning (SEL), restorative practices, and trauma-informed strategies into a cohesive framework. This has created greater consistency across schools, helping staff understand what to do when students struggle, and when and why to use each approach.
“This is a whole student wellness and safety approach to remove barriers to learning,” emphasized Schmitz. “Our purpose as a school district is to educate, so removing barriers to a child’s learning is fundamental.”
In the past, discipline often focused primarily on consequences. While consistent, it did not always address root causes. Today, our mindset has evolved. Instead of focusing solely on rules and punishment, we are asking: What does this student need right now to be successful? How can I meet those needs?
This shift recognizes that behavior is often a form of communication, requiring us to look beyond actions to understand the nonverbal cues and the circumstances that motivate them. For some students, that means restorative conversations to repair harm and rebuild relationships. For others, it involves targeted support, counseling, or connections to additional resources.
Accountability remains an important part of this process, but we first teach the skills that build accountability: recognizing, reflecting on, and taking ownership of one’s behavior.
One key outcome of this shift is that more students remain in school, which means they don’t miss instruction. When suspension is no longer the default, students are given more opportunities to reflect, learn, and feel connected, even when they make mistakes. Schools are implementing restorative approaches, including accountability projects that help students reflect on their actions and foster important skills like empathy and responsibility.
“We’ve seen a shift toward a more proactive culture,” shared Great Valley Principal Theresa Johnson. “Our staff is more focused on integrating SEL and positive behavioral programs into everyday instruction.”
Sequoia Elementary Principal Denise Buske noted that sense of connection is increasingly visible on campus. “We’re seeing a shift in our students that’s creating a much deeper sense of connectedness throughout our school community,” she shared.
“Students feel more comfortable coming to us when they are upset about something. The hesitancy is gone! What used to be a ‘What did I do?’ or ‘Am I in trouble?’ conversation is now ‘Can I tell you about my problems, and can you help me with them?’”
A critical piece of this work has been strengthening Coordination of Services Teams (COST) at every school site. These teams bring together administrators, counselors, and staff to connect students with targeted interventions based on their needs before challenges escalate.
The impact of this system is being felt across campuses. Schools report greater confidence in their ability to respond to student behavior.
While this work requires time and collaboration, it is creating a more connected school environment where students feel seen and supported, which includes being held accountable in meaningful ways.